POLOKWANE – Residents from across the city and afar united to assist the Van Rooyen family when William van Rooyen went missing without a trace last Wednesday.
On the day he went missing, he left his home, which is situated in a security complex. He handed his keys to the security guard at the complex and disappeared on foot down the road with only a backpack and a water bottle.
A search by the community policing forums (CPF) in the city as well as family, friends and residents who did not even know him, ensued, on foot and in motor vehicles, for two days. In the meanwhile, enquiries from as far as Australia as to whether he had been found streamed in.
Late Friday afternoon William was spotted in Buys Street in Westenburg. Shortly thereafter he was reunited with his family.
In the hours that followed, William disappeared again, but was found shortly thereafter. He is currently receiving medical attention at a hospital in Gauteng.
William’s wife, Mandy, told Review that all words in all languages could never express how thankful the family was for the assistance of so many people in the search for her husband.
“I can never explain the love we (the family) felt knowing that so many people, some of whom we do not even know, went to so much trouble to assist us. People gave up their Easter weekend and cancelled their holiday plans to help with the search,” she said.
She added that the family was also very grateful for the prayers that were said.
“It is unheard of and I never thought that there were so many people who really cared about their fellow man. Humanity truly still exists,” she said.
She and her family thanked each and everyone who contributed in any way towards finding her husband.
CPF member Peet Hartman told Review that members of the various CPF’s in the city united and made finding William their priority. He said all their needs for the search had been provided for by individuals in the community who wanted to help in any way they could.
“Residents do not always understand the important work that CPF members can do in communities. In the search for William we did not care where he was situated or who he was, we only cared about finding him and bringing him safely home to his family,” Hartman explained.
